Lega Pro

Serie C was the former name of the third and fourth highest football leagues in Italy. It is broken up into "Serie C1" (third tier) and "Serie C2" (fourth tier).

In turn, Serie C1 consists of two divisions: "Serie C1/A" and "Serie C1/B", both of 18 teams. At the end of the season, four teams (two from each division) go up to Serie B and six teams (three from each division) go down to Serie C2.

Serie C2 consists of three divisions: "Serie C2/A", "Serie C2/B", and "Serie C2/C", all of them composed of 18 teams. At the end of the season, six teams (two from each division) go up to Serie C1 and nine teams (three from each division) go down to Serie D.

For both Serie C1 and C2, teams are split into "gironi" (divisions) by geographical criteria.

On June 20th, 2008 the league has changed its denomination from "Lega Professionisti Serie C" to "Lega Italiana Calcio Professionistico" (abbreviated to Lega Pro).

Playoff and "Playout"

In each of the five divisions (2 in Prima Divisione and 3 in Seconda Divisione), two teams are promoted and three teams are relegated. The first-placed team in a particular division is automatically promoted, while the 2nd through 5th placed teams enter a playoff tournament to determine the other team that will be promoted. The first round pairs the 2nd placed team vs the 5th placed team and the 3rd vs the 4th in a double leg series with the higher classified team having home-field advantage in the 2nd leg. The team with the higher aggregate score moves on to the second round. In case of an aggregate tie, the higher classified team moves on (the away goals rule is not used). The two winners play each other under the exact same format to determine the second team that will be promoted.

In the relegation zone, the last placed team (18th) is automatically demoted. The teams placed 14th through 17th enter a playoff round more commonly called "playout". In this format the 14th placed team plays the 17th, and the 15th plays the 16th using the same rules mentioned for the promotion playoffs. The two winners remain in the division while the two losers are relegated. There is no second round in the playouts.

Past champions

erie C

*1935-36 - Venezia, Cremonese, Spezia, Catanzaro
*1936-37 - Padova, Vigevano, Sanremese, Anconitana, Taranto
*1937-38 - SPAL, Fanfulla Lodi, Casale, Siena, Salernitana
*1938-39 - Brescia, Catania
*1939-40 - Reggiana, Vicenza , Maceratese
*1940-41 - Prato, Fiumana
*1941-42 - Cremonese, Juventina Palermo
*1942-43 - Varese, Pro Gorizia
*1943-45 - "postponed due to World War II"
*1945-46 - Mestrina, Prato, Perugia, Alba Ala Roma, Benevento, Lecce, Leone Palermo
*1946-47 - Magenta, Vita Nova P.S. Pietro, Bolzano, Centese, Nocerina
*1947-48 - "competed amongst 18 regional leagues, no promotion to Serie B, no overall champions"
*1948-49 - Fanfulla Lodi, Udinese, Prato, Avellino
*1949-50 - Seregno, Treviso, Anconitana, Messina
*1950-51 - Monza, Marzotto Valdagno, Piombino, Stabia
*1951-52 - Cagliari
*1952-53 - Pavia
*1953-54 - Parma
*1954-55 - Bari
*1955-56 - Sambenedettese
*1956-57 - Prato
*1957-58 - Reggiana
*1958-59 - OZO Mantova, Catanzaro
*1959-60 - Pro Patria, Prato, Foggia
*1960-61 - Modena, Lucchese, Cosenza
*1961-62 - Triestina, Cagliari, Foggia
*1962-63 - Varese, Prato, Potenza
*1963-64 - Reggiana, Livorno, Trani
*1964-65 - Novara, Pisa, Reggina
*1965-66 - Savona, Arezzo, Salernitana
*1966-67 - Monza, Perugia, Bari
*1967-68 - Como, Cesena, Ternana
*1968-69 - Piacenza, Arezzo, Casertana
*1969-70 - Novara, Massese, Casertana
*1970-71 - Reggiana, Genoa, Sorrento
*1971-72 - Lecco, Ascoli, Brindisi
*1972-73 - Parma, SPAL, Avellino
*1973-74 - Alessandria, Sambenedettese, Pescara
*1974-75 - Piacenza, Modena, Catania
*1975-76 - Monza, Rimini, Lecce
*1976-77 - Cremonese, Pistoiese, Bari
*1977-78 - Udinese, SPAL, Nocerina

External links

* [http://www.lega-calcio-serie-c.it/index.html Lega Pro Official Website]